Tough Princess

After an hour, they come for me again. The metal door swings open and I pretend my hands and legs are still cuffed. I’m shoved into my chair and my heart hurts as I look at Hyungwon. “Reconsidered? If you haven't, I'll bring in the heir of the Amber syndicate and do just what I did to this guy.” Joon asks, an edge to his voice. He was getting impatient. “Maybe if you let him out of those manacles. He’s too weak to do anything but scream.” I look over at Hyungwon and Joon forces me to look at him. “Not maybe, yes, or no.” “Yes. If you let him out of the manacles.” Pulling the keys from his pocket, Joon unlocks Hyungwon’s manacles, letting him fall to the floor before coming back to stand in front of me. “Now tell me.” Closing my eyes, I let my mind settle. If I didn’t do this, I would die. Hyungwon would die. I couldn’t let that happen. Opening my eyes, I stare up at his expectant gaze and plunge the belt buckle into his neck. Pulling it out of him, I shove it into his chest before I whip around and use the sharpened point to cut across the two thugs’ throats. I don’t let go of the buckle, even as I'm going over to Hyungwon. “Won-ah, let’s go. Come on, get up.” I haul him to his feet and we make it out the door before getting attacked. Dropping Hyungwon, I rip a metal bat from one of the gangster’s hands and whip it around. In minutes, they’re stone cold on the ground. Dropping the bat, I grab Hyungwon. “Leave me. I’ll get out.” Hyungwon rasps, pushing me away from him."No you won't, not like this you won't!" “Exactly, you’ll never get out if you haul me with you. Go. Sanha, go!” He screams the last word and tears race down my cheeks as I start down the hall. Picking up a knife from the inside of one of the gangster’s jackets, I hold it in my hand, ready to stab anyone that got in my way. Racing up some stairs, I gut another gangster, slicing another one across the throat. The knife creating a whirlwind of blood. The sound of fighting draws my attention up ahead and I turn the corner before stopping. Kihyun, Hyunwoo, Mark, BamBam, the boys. All of them were fighting their hardest. They were covered in blood, some of their faces were bleeding, Minyuk helps Yugyeom relocate his shoulder as Mark knocks out a gangster and wipes blood from his lip, stepping forward to see if there was anyone else. His steps falter when he sees me. “Sanha.” The boys immediately slam their opponents to the ground, whipping around to look over at me. Tears don’t come to my eyes this time. Instead, a scream rips from my lips, a horrible keening sound, and I’m falling, the knife slipping from my fingers. Mark catches me and I’m gasping for air. “Hyungwon. Hyungwon is still down there. Help him, find him.” I grasp at his shirt as he holds me, holds me like I’m as fragile as a doll. Jackson and Hoseok bolt forward to find Hyungwon and someone wraps a sweatshirt around me. We wait until Jackson and Hoseok reappear with Hyungwon between them before leaving the building. “What happened to Joon?” Mark whispers, walking slowly, carefully. “I killed him.” I state simply, holding up the belt buckle that I hadn’t let go of. It slips from my fingers and clatters to the ground. “I know you’re not okay. But you will be. You will be.” He says softly, setting me down in the backseat of the convertible I’d seen when I first met him and Jinyoung. Hyungwon is dropped in the passenger seat and Jinyoung gets in, Mark cradling me in his lap. “Meet you guys at the Emerald syndicate.” Jinyoung calls and suddenly, air is rushing through my hair. Staring up at the sky, I can’t find any stars in the sky above the city before the car lurches to a stop. Jinyoung hauls Hyungwon into the house and Mark slowly brings me in. “Boss, boss!” I can hear the members screaming. Their voices grated against my ears. “Your daughter is here! Where are the doctors?” Everything around me is in slow motion, men running around, screaming, my body floating down the corridor, my father’s worried face appearing in my line of sight. My father? Worried? I’m set down and Dr. Kang leans down to look at me. “Sweety, I’m going to have to ask you to sleep. Alright?” She asks and I nod, closing my eyes. I wanted to sleep. I did. This time, instead of darkness pulling me in, I envelop myself in it.

“It’s amazing that she endured the stress of being held captive. From what Hyungwon said, she was repeatedly enclosed in a small space. Her claustrophobia should’ve killed her.” Dr. Kang’s voice is nearby and I open my eyes, blinking at the sunlight that streamed into the room. It was my room, but boys were passed out all over the floor and furniture. Dr. Kang stood near the door speaking to father. “My members found Han Joon dead in the underground room they held my daughter in, and after threatening the head of the Obsidian syndicate, he turned himself into the police. I’m glad she wasn’t dead when the boys got to her.” Dad sighs. “I almost did die.” I rasp, waking up Jooheon. He starts to wake the others as Dr. Kang turns to me. “What do you mean?” “I almost gave in to the claustrophobia. Almost. But I needed to get out. I needed to tell the others I was alright. I needed to live. That’s what kept me from dying.” I raise my hand to look at it, pain shooting down my arm. The handcuffs were gone, my hand was bruised and bandages covered it, but the blood had been washed off. “Where’s Hyungwon?” I ask, it hurt to speak. “Right here.” He says and I quickly look over to my other side. He was lying in an infirmary bed that they’d probably brought in here. “You look awful.” I try to smile but it turns into a grimace. My face was in pain too. “You look worse.” He manages to smile. “At least we’re not dead, hm?” I chuckle before remembering something. “Mark, where is he?” I turn my attention to the man that I’d fallen in love with. “Suffocating under Jinyoung.” He wheezes and Jinyoung topples over, Mark sitting up, his hair going in every direction before he runs his fingers through it. Getting up, he comes to stand next to me, brushing my hair out of my face. “You look so fragile, that I feel like I shouldn’t touch you, or you’ll shatter.” He whispers and I press my cheek against his hand. “I won’t. I’m as strong as a tiger.” It was funny to say it, but it felt true. Nodding at the small box on my night table, I ask “And I suppose that’s yours?” “How did you figure that out?” He asks, grabbing it and sitting on the side of my bed. “Very small hints that I put together while I was stuck in my cell.” He nods. “Well technically, it’s yours. Do you want it still?” Coughing a little, I say “I do.” Grinning, he opens the box and my breath catches in my throat at the sight of the fire opal ring. The jewel was beautiful. He takes it out and slips it onto my ring finger. “Well, at least I know now that you’re mine.” He gives me an embarrassed smile, his eyes flicking to Hyungwon. It was a true thought. Being childhood friends with Hyungwon meant lots of things to me, and because I didn’t want to lose anything to someone I didn’t know, he’d been my first in every way. At least until I realized I was starting to gain feelings for other men. “No sharing, I promise.” I smile. “I guess it’s a deal then.” Mark smiles before leaning down and kissing me. The others groan, making sounds of disgust, but I just smile into the kiss, loving how for once, I was happy enough to forget about anything, and everything.

Notes

AND THE FINALE!!!!! HOW WAS IT, TELL ME BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE ENDING WAS LACKING. If you tell me you guys wants more or want me to elaborate on anything, I'll totally do it when I get back from my trip. Comments are welcome, and if you guys ever have any requests or something, I'll do them! ^~^ Okay, bye!